A known main stand for a motorcycle includes leg stands rotatably mounted on a vehicle body frame via a shaft. The leg stands are brought into an erected position so that a wheel can be raised off the ground (see, for example, FIGS. 2 and 4 of Japanese Utility Model Laid-open No. Sho 55-76774 (JP '774).)
Referring to FIG. 2 of JP '774, the main stand includes a leg stand 1, a link body 3, a holding tab 6, a cam 11, a lever 10, a foothold 13, and a stopper 8. More specifically, the link body 3 is swingably attached to an upper end of the leg stand 1 via a shaft 2. The holding tab 6 is disposed on the side of a vehicle body 5, connected to the link body 3 via a shaft 4. The cam 11 is disposed on the holding tab 6 via a shaft 9, pressing the link body 3. The lever 10 with the foothold 13 is fitted to the cam 11 and rotates the cam 11. The stopper 8 defines the position of the leg stand 1 when the leg stand 1 is brought into the erected position. In FIG. 2 of JP '774, reference numerals 3 and 12 represent springs.
Referring to FIG. 4 of JP '774, the main stand includes left and right link bodies 3, 3 and cams 11, 11 pressing the link bodies 3, 3. When the main stand is erected for use, the leg stand 1 is operated into a temporary erected position. Then, the lever 10 is operated to rotate the cams 11, 11, thereby pressing the link bodies 3, 3. The leg stand 1 can thereby be brought into the erected position with a small force.
The main stand according to JP '774 has the cam 11 and the link body 3 on each of the left and right-hand sides. As a result, the large number of elements involved leads to a complicated structure. Further, the large number of elements involved increases the weight of the main stand. This is not preferable from a viewpoint of effort made toward reduction in vehicle weight.
Moreover, bringing the main stand into the erected position involves two troublesome steps of operating the leg stand 1 and then operating the lever 10.